Asher inducted into OIAAA ‘Hall’

AD job comes natural for Piqua native

Growing up the son of legendary Piqua, Bellefontaine and Lehman Catholic football coach Chuck Asher, Kent Asher’s interest in athletics came natural.

Now, 40 years after the son of Chuck and Jo Ann Asher graduated from Piqua Central, he was honored for his dedication to high school athletics, being inducted into the Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Hall of Fame.

“No, I never thought about anything like that,” Asher said. “I was shocked when they told me about it. It is (quite an honor). One of the great things about it is one of the guys I was inducted with, Mike Vannett from Bowling Green, lived across the hall from me at Wittenberg (University). We were fraternity brothers. So, that made it pretty special as well.”

Asher began his athletic administration career at Jackson Center in 1979 and remained there through 1987.

Along with teaching social studies in grades 7-12, he served as seventh grade boys basketball coach, concessions supervisor, student council advisor, assistant athletic director and full-time bus driver.

“I was there for eight years,” Asher said. “I was athletic director and basically ran the social studies department. I was a junior high basketball coach. I was there for the 1985 basketball state championship team. That was pretty exciting.”

Asher then found a home in Carey, where he has been ever since.

“I got my masters,” Asher said. “They were looking for an assistant principal and athletic director. I was there for about 15 years.”

Asher began at Carey in 1988 as assistant principal/athletic director.

During his time at Carey, he has overseen or been involved in several renovation projects to the athletic facilities. He has also added a few sports to the athletic program at Carey.

Asher was also one of the “founding fathers” of the Northern 10 Conference and over the years has served as president of three different leagues.

They included the North Central Conference, Midland Atlantic League and the Northern 10 Conference.

“After about 15 years, the job got so big they decided to split it up into two jobs,” Asher said. “That was the best thing they ever did.”

In 2014, Asher retired from teaching, but has continued in his duties as athletic director.

Asher has been active in the OIAAA-NW.

He has served on their executive board and has been in charge of the hospitality room for the Northwest during state meetings. During his tenure at Carey, Asher was named Athletic Director of the Year in 2004 by the Northwest District Officials and received the OIAAA-NW Citation Award in 2013.

“Definitely, I always enjoyed being around the kids and watching them,” he said. “As long as my health holds up, I want to continue to be athletic director. We are opening a new facility next year, which will be exciting. It (the team’s record) didn’t matter. I just enjoy the job and being around them. ”

Which is only natural for someone who grew up the son of a Hall of Fame coach and had a natural love for athletics.

Rob Kiser is Sports Editor for the Daily Call. He can be reached at (937) 451-3334.